1 Corinthians 3:1–23: Divisions in the Church

The culture of our city has the power to shape us in more ways than we might know. When Christians conform to the desires, values, and practices of their city, it creates real problems in the church. In 1 Corinthians, Paul is writing to a messy church experiencing all sorts of city-shaped problems. To confront these problems, Paul reminds the church of who they are in Christ, and he calls them to live with a Christ-shaped vision for life.

Habakkuk 3: Aching for Freedom

As the minor prophets helped the people of Israel prepare for and await the Messiah, they can likewise teach us how to stand between the first coming of Christ and His future return.

Ecclesiastes 5:1–7

By confronting us with sobering truths, Ecclesiastes helps deconstruct common ways that humans pursue pleasure and purpose and teaches us to surrender to God in the midst of the complex realities of life. It lays a foundation for a more mature and more reliable path to lasting joy.

Prayer: Ask

A semiannual rhythm at Park Church is a revisiting of our vision for discipleship to Jesus with a focus on a particular practice to that end. Over four Sundays this fall, we’ll focus on the “Be with Jesus” aspect of discipleship through the practice of prayer. Prayer is perhaps the most fundamental characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. The core of Jesus’ mission was to reconcile us to God so that we might enjoy Him and be empowered and transformed by His daily presence in our lives. At the heart of our relationship with Him is the privilege of being able to relate with God as our Father.

Psalm 136

Every summer at Park Church, we spend several weeks in the Psalms. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. This summer, we’ll continue with Psalms 130–139.

Psalm 130

Every summer at Park Church, we spend several weeks in the Psalms. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. This summer, we’ll continue with Psalms 130–139.

Ash Wednesday: Ecclesiastes 3:20

A service with worship, reflective prayer, and the imposition of ashes. We are reminded of our sinfulness, mortality, and the hope that is ours in Jesus.

The Second Coming & Wakefulness

The Second Coming of Christ is a fundamental Christian conviction, promised by Scripture and professed by followers of Christ throughout history. Though now often neglected or misunderstood, the promise of Jesus’ return remains vital.

Culturally, we can be horrible at waiting. Quick “fixes” are everywhere and easily-accessible comforts can dilute our felt need for all things to be made new. But there is brokenness that will go unfixed and pain that will go unhealed until Christ comes again.

The Second Coming was never meant to be a sidebar or peripheral doctrine, but a central one that we uphold, rehearse and celebrate. Scripture reflects this truth:

“Baptism is mentioned 19 times in seven Epistles, and in 14 out of 21 it is not alluded to. The Lord’s Supper is only referred to three or four times in the entire New Testament… The Lord’s Coming is referred to in one verse out of every 13 in the New Testament, and in the Epistles alone in one verse out of 10. This proportion is surely of importance, for if frequency of mention is any criterion there is scarcely any other truth of equal interest and value.”
(W. H. Griffith-Thomas in “The Principles of Theology”)

This Advent, we’re excited to focus together on Jesus’ return and why it matters to our lives as Christians.

Psalm 127

The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. This annual series, now in its eleventh year, is called “Christ in the Psalms.”

Psalm 120

The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. This annual series, now in its eleventh year, is called “Christ in the Psalms.”